U.S. Pat. No. 6,498,976 B1 describes a method for warning a driver of a risk of the vehicle overturning when travelling around a turn, so that, if required, the driver can adjust the speed of the vehicle, e.g., by braking, such that a safe driving state is retained. The warning signal is generated if the current lateral acceleration of the vehicle exceeds a fixed threshold value. However, the determination of the threshold value is, in practice, associated with a cost, especially, when it comes to many different types of vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,498,976 B1 proposes making the threshold value variable inasmuch that it is made dependent on the mass of the vehicle. If the vehicle mass is known, a suitable threshold value can be obtained from a table. However, apart from the determination of the data for the table being costly, the mass of the vehicle offers only limited accuracy regarding the actual lateral acceleration at which the vehicle would overturn about its longitudinal axis. Indeed, the mass of the vehicle offers no indication regarding the height at which a load is disposed or how the load is distributed on the load bearing area of the vehicle.